Anilao & Dumaguete: quick trip report and slideshow

[rob1967]

I'm a bit slow to report, but on my last trip to the Philippines (Jan/Feb), I decided to try two places I hadn't been to before, Anilao, and Dumaguete. Both were great!

In Anilao, I stayed at Club Ocellaris. Accommodations were basic but adequate, food was good, and the diving was spectacular! Really great muck diving! Highlights were Secret Bay, Twin Rocks, and night dive at Anilao Pier. They really cater to serious underwater photographers. DM Peri was amazing! He is a serious photographer in his own right, and was outstanding at finding amazing critters.

Atlantis Dumaguete is a higher end place, and was very nice. Maybe a little pricey, but they are a very friendly bunch and cater to Western tourists. Muck diving there was also very good, but I would have to say that Anilao was a little better. We did a day trip to Oslob Cebu to snorkel with the whale sharks, and also did Apo Island for some nice reef dives. As a photographer, I actually liked the local muck diving around Dauin just as much, if not better.

I took a lot of pictures with my old DC 1200 SeaLife camera (that I have now sold). I have a new Canon S100 that I am very happy with, but looking back, I did get some pretty good shots with the SeaLife, that I put together in a little video slideshow that you can see here:

Best of Philippines 2012 - YouTube

I'm looking forward to going back to the Philippines with the Canon to get even better shots! Next year I'll probably choose to go back to Anilao, and then try Malapascua!

Cheers and happy diving!

 

[Tjack]

Nice Report Rob, Anilao is high on my list for my next trip.

Watch out for those Anemone Fish they bite!

 

[peeweediver]

Great pics and videos. Thinking about the Philippines for our LDS trip in 2014. More food for thought. Thanks!

another Rob

 

[rob1967]

Thanks for the positive comments! I've been to the Philippines many times, but have always ignored Anilao until this year. I guess I had assumed that since it is so close to Manila, it can't be that good. But actually, it has some of the best muck diving in the world! It might be as good as Lembeh, but cheaper and easier to get to from North America.

Anilao, although only two hours from Manila, feels quite remote. What we call "Anilao" as a dive destination is actually the Calumpan peninsula, and it is very steep and rocky, and therefore sparsely populated. The reason it is called Anilao is that, in the old days, before they built the road down the peninsula, you could only drive as far as the town of Anilao, and you could either stay there or take a boat further down the peninsula to spots that were boat-access only in those days.

So although there is now a road to get to all the resorts, it still has a remote rugged feel to it. The nightlife is nil, but the diving is fab! When I was a newer diver, I was more interested in big stuff and shipwrecks (i.e., Coron), but now that I am into photography, I love the muck-diving!

 

[fisheater]

Any way to open up the video to use on mobile devices?

When I tried to see it, there was a message saying that the content owner hadn't made it available for mobile.

Thanks.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

 

[altaskier]

Great pics! I had a great time with Peri and Alexis at Club O two years ago, and am planning a return soon...

 

[rob1967]

Any way to open up the video to use on mobile devices?

When I tried to see it, there was a message saying that the content owner hadn't made it available for mobile.

Thanks.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

Hi Fisheater,

I had a look on YouTube, and I guess they won't allow me to enable it to mobile devices because I borrowed a copyrighted song (U2 — Ultraviolet, love that tune!). I guess they allow it on regular computers because they add a link to buy the song on iTunes.

Anyways, I will try adding a couple of photos here.

 

[fisheater]

Thanks.

 

[rob1967]

A few more pics...

Here's a few more pics...

 

[AlMitch]

The pic of the cuttlefish head on with the black background is the best of the lot. Great photo. Thanks for sharing.

Just not sure I would "hold" those tiny, cute baby frog fish. Dont touch, dont take, dont tease was the motto drummed into my head. But thats just me.